Iran flags undersea cables as potential targets in the Gulf

A new warning from Iran-linked media suggests the next major disruption in the Gulf may not come from oil or shipping lanes, but from the internet cables running deep beneath the sea. Putting the region’s invisible infrastructure in focus, a report by Tasnim News Agency has put fresh attention to the vulnerability of undersea data cables in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any disruption could hit connectivity across the region. The Strait of Hormuz is already a critical artery for global energy supplies.

“Simultaneous damage to several major cables – whether through accidents or deliberate action – could trigger severe outages across the Persian Gulf,” the report from the agency said.

Multiple major submarine cable systems – including FALCON, AAE-1, TGN-Gulf and SEA-ME-WE – pass through or near the narrow stretch of water. These cables carry most of the internet traffic that powers banking, cloud services and communications across Gulf countries.

The concentration of these cables in a tight corridor makes the region particularly exposed. Countries like the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia depend heavily on these routes — far more than Iran, the report suggests.

In recent disruptions as early as 2024 and 2025, several undersea cables in the Red Sea were damaged during regional tensions, slowing internet speeds and disrupting services across multiple countries. Repairs took months, partly because access to the area remained restricted.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have also threatened such infrastructure in the past, raising fears that undersea cables could become targets in wider conflicts.